'I'm a psychologist - 1 swap inside your home will instantly improve your mood'

Britons are ditching decorating homes with boring neutral colours like white and beige, as a psychologist revealed the best colour to improve people's moods. A new survey reveals 35 percent of us voted blue their top paint choice for 2025. New research from B&Q of 2,000 UK homeowners reveals that as many as 82 percent have painted, or still plan to, their interior or exterior this year.

The study also claims that as many as 89 per cent of those have been actively moving away from neutral colours like white, cream or grey. Blue is the number one colour choice for decorators with green (28 percent) and teal (19 percent) also popular colours to paint walls this year, according to the study.

Half (51 percent) of those surveyed, say they currently prefer striking, statement colours to neutral tones.

And it's not just about aesthetics, or Insta worthy rooms, 54 percent say painting their rooms in a colour, has lifted their mood, and 34 percent admit it has made them happier overall.

Clinical psychologist Dr Sophie Mort explains why this splash of colour might be exactly what our homes and our minds need.

She explains: "Colour, in particular, has a powerful psychological effect - warm tones such as yellow or orange can feel energising, while blues and greens often promote calm.

"We often underestimate just how much our surroundings shape the way we feel. Painting your home isn't just cosmetic: it shapes the emotional signals your brain receives, gradually affecting mood.

"What I also love about this trend towards brighter homes is that it reflects a bigger psychological principle: self-expression.

"Choosing bold colours can be a way of telling the world something about who you are, and that kind of authenticity tends to be good for wellbeing.

"If the home feels like it genuinely reflects you, you're more likely to feel comfortable and grounded in it."

A third (31 percent) believe you can tell someone's personality by the colours in their home, with 60 percent saying those with colourful spaces like to express themselves, 54 percent describing them as joyful, and 42 percent calling them unique.

B&Q commissioned the survey, to celebrate their new range of, "Best of British" paint palettes - inspired by some of the UK's brightest and boldest locations.

And Brits clearly agree - more than three-quarters (77 percent) say they'd love to live on a brightly painted street.

When it comes to finding inspiration, Brits are turning to their screens, with TV shows (38 percent) and social media (38 percent) topping the list, followed by places they've visited (33 percent), colourful UK towns (23 percent) and holiday destinations (22 percent).

Laura Dollimore, B&Q's Head of Paint, adds: "We know that colour has the power to completely transform how a home feels.

"The new 'Best of British' palettes are all about capturing the vibrancy of some of the brightest and boldest places in the UK and making it easy for customers to bring that same joy into their own spaces. Whether it's a calming blue, or a joyful yellow."